24th October 2023
Doula UK publish evidence of the positive impact that doulas make and the growing demand for doula support.
We are very proud to share new evidence of the positive impact that Doula UK doulas make and the growing demand for doula support.
Our members provide us with information about the doula support they have completed over the past year (2022 – 2023). From this data we are able to identify the positive impact of having a doula during pregnancy, birth, and after the birth of a baby. Doula UK has over 700 members.
A staggering 2,047 births were supported by a Doula UK doula last year!
We saw an increase in families choosing home birth which was the most popular place to give birth with doula support, closely followed by hospitals and birth centres. 64% of births were spontaneous.
The power of doulas goes beyond the birth itself. With doula support, 99% of families initiated breastfeeding a stark difference to the National average of 71%.
Doula UK doulas gave an incredible 74,435 hours of postnatal support last year!
We are thrilled to share these stats with you which show that 1,758 families were supported after the birth of a baby by a postnatal doula.
The evidence shows us that doulas increased breastfeeding rates which can have long-term positive impacts on both the mother or parent and baby, with an incredible 88% of postnatal clients breastfeeding at final visit, compared to the National average of 24%.
A postnatal doula provides emotional, practical and informational support to the whole family. The nurturing presence of a doula providing familiar and consistent support has been shown to improve well-being.
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Sarah Hawkins says
Wonderful!!!